Principal's Report
Can you believe how quickly this year is coming to a close? In a minute our Grade 6s will be graduating, our new Foundation students will have their teachers and a summer spent on the beach, will be a reality rather than a fantasy!
Our Foundation Transition sessions have been travelling along with lots of singing, dancing, laughter and learning (and that's just the teachers!). Vicky, Lou and Kirsten may be looking a little weary after shouldering both Kinders and Foundies during this time but their spirits are high! Thanks to all in our community who have welcomed our new Foundation families to our school. We are hoping to have a morning tea on Monday 30th January for those new families starting in 2023.
EVENING OF MUSIC
Thanks to Lisa, Adrian and the other instrumental teachers for the most amazing Evening of Music. Our children are amazing and we should be so proud of them. It was a concert, not a “school concert”!
As I said on the night we absolutely have THE BEST MUSIC PROGRAM IN THE STATE!
Click here to see some photos from the evening.
Recruitment night on Monday evening was another very successful event and great to see so many students and families wanting to be part of our band program.
Helpers Morning Tea
The staff warmly invite all parents and friends who have helped throughout the year to a Special Morning Tea on Friday 9th December 2022 from 10.40am – 11.20am in the Gym Foyer.
Parents and friends help in many, many ways across the school e.g. band committee, book club, icypoles, Patch cooking & working bees, classroom helpers, excursions, camps, sports days, PE/sports committees, Chinese day, graduation, running club, literacy helpers (book sorting etc), sickbay washing, second-hand uniform sales, Parents and Friends committee, classroom reps, Kids Hope mentors etc.
Everybody’s help and support is valued and appreciated and we would like to celebrate another great year with you all. We look forward to seeing you all there.
2023 STAFF LIST
00G – Kirsten Goss
00S - Vicky Soldatos (Team Leader)
00T – Lou Tribolet
1FR - Kaye Fraser & Michelle Robinson
1P - Zoya Pavloff
12B - Wendy Bennett
2B - Zoe Bartus (Team Leader)
2S - Kelly Sotiriadis & Jacqui Carfi
3P – Michael Pitinga
3SF - Steph Storto & Kirralee Felicite
34L - Daniel Liebrich
4A - Amanda Chetcuti
4C - Emily Chau (Team Leader)
5A - Fiona Arthur
5B - Sue Battista
5W - Simone Wood
6DF – Michelle Fabris & Krystle D’Amelio
6F - Danielle Fountain (Team Leader)
6S – Danae Sage
Art - Liz Dixon (Team Leader)
LOTE - Yi Zhang
Music - Lisa Shacklock
PE - Merissa Pickford
I am very pleased with the teaching team we have put together and know their collective expertise and strong expectation of collaboration and best practise will see students flourish.
Please note that teachers are allocated to classes on the detailed knowledge we have as a school on their strengths and how this will best match the composition of the entire class. It is on this basis that teacher requests are not considered.
FAREWELLS
Terena Harrison
I am delighted to announce Terena will take up a position at South Melbourne Park Primary School from 2023. This will mean a much shorter trip to school each day for her! Terena has been at BPS for the last five years and been a dedicated and active member of our school community. Terena has been an integral part of our Junior School Council and she is to be congratulated on the wonderful work she has done and everything she has achieved at BPS. We wish her all the best in 2023.
Fiona Baird
Fiona has been an integral part of our 5/6 team this year since joining to replace Angelo Merlino for the remainder of 2022. She has supported the team and assisting our year 5 students. We thank her for the enormous role she has taken on and her passion towards her students. We wish her well for new challenges in 2023.
Stepping Up
In Term 4 every year, students from Foundation to Year 5 take part in our whole school transition program - we call this Step Up! The opportunity to step up to the next year level helps prepare each student for the next stage in their educational journey. The school recognises that a successful transition is vital to a child's educational, social and emotional development and we are seeking to provide ample time and space for your child to get to know their new year level and teachers before the school year begins! This is incredibly beneficial on so many levels.
Students will participate in a range of activities to familiarise themselves with some of the changes that will be taking place in their new grade level for 2022. You can support your child through the transition process by asking positive questions such as:
- What are you looking forward to the most next year?
- What things are you really good at?
- How can you make new friends?
- What would you like me to tell your new teacher about you?
We implore all of our parents to be positive when speaking to their child about their new classes. All children will and do transition incredibly well into any new class and any new situation with positive support from the adults in their lives. Our first Stepping Up session took place last Friday November 18th.
WORKING BEE
What an amazing community we have! Coming together last Friday afternoon and achieving so much! Thank you to all the children and parents who worked so hard on a Friday afternoon! What a great job and keeps our school sparkling!
Some photos of what was achieved can be seen here
STUDENTS LEAVING BPS
As much as this would sadden us, we know that many families might have a change in circumstances in 2023. To support our forward planning, we would really appreciate knowledge of any student/s that might be leaving BPS at the end of 2022. This does not include our Year 6 students, who we know will be graduating. Please email the school office on blackburn.ps@education.vic.gov.au to inform us.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT EVENTS
For any of our future students we invite you to come and join us for one of our upcoming sessions. Please contact the office to make a booking.
